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Nu. 6l9,062. Patented Feb. 7, I899.

' F. A. WITTICH.

VINE CLAMP.

(Application filed. Apr. 7, 1898.) (No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. WVITTICH, OF ASHTABULA, OHIO, ASSIGN OR TO RUDOLF H. PFAFFAND FREDERICK K. LEWIS, OF SAME PLACE.

VINE-CLAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,062, dated February'7, 1899. Application filed April '7, 1898. Serial No. 676,741. (Nomodel.)

' To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. WIT- TICH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Ashtabula, county of Ashtabula, and State ofOhio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vine-Clamps, ofwhich the following is a specification, the principle of the inventionbeing herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplatedapplying that principle so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention has for its object an improved form of vine-clamp.

In the annexed drawings, Figure I represents an elevational view of myimproved vine-clamp, illustrating it in position clampinga vine-stalk toa supporting-wire. Fig. II represents asectional View of the clamp,taken on line 2 2, Fig. I. a

A strip of elastic wire A is bent into a sinuous form, as shown, wherebya succession of loops a are provided.

The vine stalk having been placed against the supporting-wire B, a loopa is placed behind the wire, the two contiguous members a and a of theloops immediately on each side of said loop a being placed at the sametime in front of said wire. The Wire of the loops being elastic aclamping action is present, which holds said end of the vine-clampfirmly in place on the Wire B. The other end of the clamp is similarlyfastened upon the supporting-wire 'B on the opposite side of thevine-stalk. The elastic clamp hence presses against the said stalk,holding it firmly in place.

The loops are made of good length, whereby a large portion of thevine-stalk is subjected to pressure, thus distributing the said pressure and reducing the liability of injury to the stalk to a minimum. Bycarefully selecting the loops which are fastened to the supporting-wireit is seen that the pressure of the clamp against the vine may be variedaccording to requirements, thus permitting the use of my clamp for thesupport of the most tender stalks without injury, and further permittingtheir use for any size of stalk and obtaining the same pressing force onall.

' said curvature being in a plane at right angles to the clamp plane. Bythis means a lock or catch is formed which eifectually prevents theclamp from slipping oif the said wire.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means covered by any one of the followingclaims be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and dis= tinctly claim as myinventiona 1. A vine-clamp consisting of a strip of re-' silientmaterial bent to form a series of sinuous loops or bends, two or more ofwhich loops or bends are bent outwardly and adapted to engage asupporting-stringer, whereby the tension of the clamp against a stalkmay be varied with relation to the size and growth of the stalk, bychanging the points of attachment to the stringer.

2. A vine-clamp, consisting of a resilient wire bent to form a series ofsinuous loops, the loops adjacent to either end of the clamp beingcurved or outwardly bent between their ends to provide for theirattachment to a supporting-wire.

3. The combination with a supportingstringer, of a vine-clamp consistingof a resilient wire formed into sinuous undulating loops, adapted tobear against a stalk, one loop at either side of the center of the clampengaging the supporting-stringer, whereby the tension or pressure of theintermediate loops upon the stalk may be regulated.

Signed by me this 4th day of April, 1898.-

FREDERICK A. WITTICI-I.

Attest:

THEODORE HALL, EDWARD P. HALL.

